History - Fire Preservation in Ireland

Martin Thompson , Pauric Cullen , Chris Prendergast. at Irish Pumpathon Athy. Aug, 2009

Fire Service preservation movement in Ireland as we know it today began about 30 years ago, at that time most old fire engines in the country were owned by local Authorities. Old fire engines in private hands were few and far between.
The first person I knew that had old fire engine preserved was Chris Prendergast in Co. Carlow and that was in the mid 1980’s. In 1986 Chris was one of 3 people that organised the Dublin Bay Rally which ran until 1994. By the late 1980’s there were a few more fire engines in private hands notable 2 ex Co. Clare appliances one owned by Pauric Cullen from Mullingar and the other by Sean Keoghan from Kilbeggan. By that the time the preservation movement was gathering steam, Pauric Cullen set up “1st Fire Engine Rally” on Saturday 6th Oct 1990 at Locks Distillery, Kilbeggan followed by 2 more rallies in 1991 and 1992. This really started the ball rolling more private preservationists were appearing on the scene Dan Doherty from Roscommon, Jim Fallon from Sligo, Garry Manahan and Jim Kavanagh from Dublin, Bernard O’Grady from Kilbeggan, Jim Byrne from Drogheda, Des Durkin from Dublin. A Collection of Helmets and Fire Memorabilia was exhibited at the Fire Engine rally by Las Fallon from Dublin. Firemen from around the country started to bring out appliances old and new from their own stations. The Connelly Bros., Station Officer Paddy and Driver John from Graiguenamanagh brought along 2 Appliances, Brigade Fitter Teddy Ryan the F12 from Kilkenny City, Co. Louth’s 2 Dennis F12s from Dundalk and Drogheda, Irish Rail’s 1935 Merryweather from Inchicore works, Station Officer Robert O’Connor with Carlow’s 1936 Ford V8, Dublin Fire Brigade sent along a TL, Station Officer Tony Lalor Austin /Roberts from Monasterevan, Station Officer Jim Hogan from Newbridge an ET, The Doyle Bros from Naas Anthony and Tommy the Unimog, Michael Corcoran from the National Transport Museum a Horse Drawn Steamer, on home ground Station Officer Tom Webster from Athlone ensured the Karrier and ET were there.

In the late 1990’s Mick Murphy from Innishannon ran a fire section at the Innishannon Steam & Vintage Rally. The fire section at the rally ran for 3 years and was a huge success. Then in 1999 I decided it was time to do my bit by calling a meeting at our home in Athy and as a result of that meeting The Irish Fire Service Preservation Group was formed in Athy on 19th January 1999 better known today as the Fire Service Trust.
Over the last 11 years the Fire Service Trust has grown into an internationally known Preservation Group representing the Irish Fire Preservationist at events at home and abroad. The Fire Service Trust has also become a familiar face at Heritage Centres, Libraries, Conferences, Station Openings and Recruit Passing out ceremonies, exhibiting old fire appliances, Archive Material, Photo’s, Log books and Equipment relating to the history of the FIRE Service in Ireland. The Fire Service Trust has taken into its care Fire Appliances, Equipment, Documentation and Photographs from Fire Brigades and Individuals from all over Ireland. The trust has now the largest collection of old Fire Appliances, Equipment and Archive Material in the country. The day to day running of the Trust is carried out by the Management Team drawn from the Trustees.

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Stair - Caomhnú Dóiteáin in Éirinn

Seirbhís Dóiteáin Gluaiseacht chaomhnú in Éirinn mar atá a fhios againn sa lá atá inniu thosaigh thart ar 30 bliain ó shin, ag an am sin faoi úinéireacht nó innill dóiteáin d'aois is mó sa tír ag Údaráis áitiúla. Innill dóiteáin Old Is go príobháideach a bhí an-beag. Ba é an chéad duine a fhios agam go raibh a chaomhnú sean-inneall dóiteáin Chris Prendergast i gContae Cheatharlach agus go raibh i lár na 1980's. Sa bhliain 1986, bhí Chris ar cheann de na 3 daoine a d'eagraigh an Bhá Bhaile Átha Cliath a bhí ar siúl go dtí 1994 Rally. De réir an 1,980 déanach s, bhí cúpla innill dóiteáin níos mó i seilbh phríobháideach 2 suntasach fearas ex Co an Chláir úinéireacht ag Pauric Cullen Ó Muileann gCearr agus Sean Keoghan as Cill Bheagáin, Ag an am a bhí an ghluaiseacht a chaomhnú gaile a bhailiú, a leagtar Pauric Cullen up "1 Inneall Dóiteáin Rally" ar Sath 6 Deireadh Fómhair, 1990 ag na Drioglainne Glais Bheagáin le leanúint ag 2 slógaí níos mó i 1991 agus 1992. Thosaigh sé seo i ndáiríre an Ball rollta preservationist níos príobháidí a bhí le feiceáil ar an radharc Dan Doherty as Ros Comáin, Jim Fallon ó Shligeach, Garry Manahan agus Jim Kavanagh ó Bhaile Átha Cliath, Bernard O'Grady as Cill Bheagáin, Jim Byrne ó Dhroichead Átha, Des Durkin Ó Bhaile Átha Cliath. a cuireadh ar taispeáint A Bailiú de Cloigead agus barúlacha Dóiteáin ag léirsiú an Inneall Dóiteáin ag Las Fallon ó Bhaile Átha Cliath. Firemen ó ar fud na tíre a thosaigh a thabhairt amach fearais sean agus an nua as a n-stáisiúin féin. An Bros Connelly Oifigeach Stáisiúin Paddy agus Tiománaí John ó Graugenamanagh thabhairt feadh 2 Fearais, Briogáid an Feisteoir Teddy Ryan an F12 ó Chathair Chill Chainnigh, 2 Co Lú's Dennis F12 ó Dhún Dealgan agus Droichead Átha, ráillí Gaeilge 1935 Merryweather ó oibreacha Inchore, Oifigeach Stáisiúin Robert O 'Connor le 1936 Cheatharlach V8 Ford Bhriogáid Dóiteáin Átha Cliath chuig feadh, TL Oifigeach Stáisiúin Tony Lalor Austin / Roberts ó Monasterevan, Oifigeach Stáisiúin Jim Hogan as Droichead Nua an ET, an Bros Doyle ó Nás na Rí Anthony agus Tommy an Unimog, Michael Corcoran ón Náisiúnta Músaem Iompair Capall Tarraingthe long, Ar Coman Oifigeach Stáisiúin Tom Webster ó Bhaile Átha Luain chinntigh an Karrier agus ET bhí ann.
I ndeireadh 1990, Mick Murphy's ó Inis Eonain Reáchtáil alt dóiteán ag an gaile Inis Eonain & Vintage Rally. An t-alt dóiteáin ag an mhórshiúl ar siúl ar feadh 3 bliana agus bhí rath mór. Ansin i 1999, chinn mé go raibh sé in am dom rud beag a dhéanamh trí ghlaoch a chur ar chruinniú ag ár bhaile i mBaile Átha Í, agus mar thoradh ar an chruinnithe sin na Gaeilge Seirbhís Dóiteáin Caomhnú Bunaíodh Grúpa i mBaile Átha Í ar 19 Eanáir, 1999 inniu mar is fearr aithne ar an tSeirbhís Dóiteáin Iontaobhas .
Thar na 11 bliain anuas tá méadú tagtha ar an tSeirbhís Dóiteáin Iontaobhas isteach cáil orthu go hidirnáisiúnta Grúpa Caomhnú a ionadaíonn do na Dóiteáin Preservationist ag imeachtaí Gaeilge sa bhaile agus thar lear. An tSeirbhís Dóiteáin Iontaobhas chomh maith go mbeidh duine ar an eolas ag na hIonaid Oidhreachta, Leabharlanna, Comhdhálacha, Station oscailtí agus earcú outs bhás, dtaispeánfar fearais dóiteáin d'aois, Cartlann Ábhar, Photo's, leabhair Logáil, Trealamh a bhaineann le stair na Seirbhíse DÓITEÁIN in Éirinn. Iontaobhas an tSeirbhís Dóiteáin san faoina gcúram Dóiteáin Fearais, Trealamh, Doiciméadú, Grianghraif ó Bhriogáid Dóiteáin agus ar dhaoine aonair ó gach cearn d'Éirinn. Tá an tIontaobhas anois an bailiúchán is mó de na sean Dóiteáin Fearais, Trealamh agus Cartlann Ábhar sa tír. An Lá go Lá rith an iontaobhas i gcrích ag Foireann Bainistíochta a shíneann ó na hIontaobh

1962 Austin FFK built by Griffith J. Roberts Dublin .Ran out of Athy 1962 -1976 .

Martin Thompson.

Everybody has a hobby with some it’s football, golf or a combination of sports, while my interest lies in the photographing, history, restoring and showing fire engines. Can you remember the first time you were on holiday or attended your first football match ?

Well I can recall the first time I seen a fire engine .I was about 5years old my father was holding me by the hand to walk two doors up to the house of Jimmy Dunphy who was a D/M with Athy Fire Brigade. Outside was parked an Austin Fire Engine . That was the day I caught the BUG. That same fire engine was 4 years old and new to Athy fire brigade, today that Austin fire engine I first saw over 40 years ago (photo above) forms part of a collection of fire engines cared for by myself and my family here in Athy.

During my childhood I attended drill nights and as the fire station had no drill yard, I got to ride from the station to the drill ground in the Austin. As I got older I joined the A.F.S. and spent my summer holidays attending fires in the Athy area.

In 1998 I acquired my first appliance a 1976 Dennis ‘R’again new to Athy , it replaced my Austin when it was stepped down from first away. Aquiring my first appliance was only the start of my troubles; there was no club or organisation in Ireland catering for appliance owners and no insurance company willing to insure them
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So I asked about 20 people who had appliances or had a great interest in preserving fire appliances to attend a meeting on 19th January 1999 and on that day in the front room of our house in Athy The Irish Fire Service Preservation Group was formed or better known today as the Fire Service Trust. Members of the group attend shows and functions with their appliances helping to preserve our heritage and raise much needed funds for charity.

Browse the pages of this site which will be continually updated. if you have a photo or an article you would like to share I will only to glad to post it for you. If you see something on the site that is not correct please let me know

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Gach duine faoi chaitheamh aimsire le roinnt sé peil, galf nó cumasc de spóirt, agus Luíonn mo spéis sa grianghrafadh, stair, athchóiriú agus a léiríonn innill dóiteáin. An féidir leat cuimhneamh ar an chéad uair a bhí tú ar saoire, nó d'fhreastail ar do chéad cluiche peile?

Bhuel is féidir Is cuimhin liom an chéad uair a chonaic mé an inneall dóiteáin. Raibh mé 5years faoi aois a bhí m'athair liom shealbhú ag an láimh le siúl dhá dhoras suas go dtí an teach na Jimmy Dunphy a bhí ina D / M le Baile Átha Í Briogáid Dóiteáin. Tugadh an locadh Lasmuigh de Fire Innill Austin. Ba é sin an lá Rug mé an FABHT. Go inneall dóiteáin céanna bhí 4 bliain d'aois agus nua chun briogáid dóiteáin Baile Átha Í, inniu go bhfuil inneall dóiteáin Austin chonaic mé an chéad uair os cionn 40 bliain ó shin (cuid ghrianghraf thuas) foirmeacha de bhailiúchán na n-inneall dóiteáin cúram do féin agus mo mhuintir anseo i mBaile Átha Í.

Le linn mo óige fhreastail mé ar oíche druileáil agus mar atá ar an stáisiún dóiteáin raibh aon clós druileáil, fuair mé a thiomána as an stáisiún ar an talamh druileáil in Austin. Mar a fuair mé aosta, chuaigh mé A.F.S. agus chaith sé ag freastal ar mo laethanta saoire an tsamhraidh tinte i gceantar Bhaile Átha Í.

I 1998 fuair mé mo chéad fearas a Dennis 1976 'R'again nua go Baile Átha Í, in ionad é nuair a bhí mo Austin Sheas sé síos ar shiúl ón chéad. Mo chéad fearas a Fháil raibh ach an tús mo trioblóidí; ní raibh aon chlub nó eagraíocht in Éirinn ag freastal ar úinéirí fearas agus aon chomhlacht árachais atá sásta iad a árachú
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Mar sin, d'iarr mé ar thart ar 20 duine a fearais raibh nó a raibh suim mhór i gcaomhnú na fearais dóiteáin chun freastal ar chruinniú ar an 19 Eanáir, 1999 agus ar an lá sin sa seomra os comhair ár dteach i mBaile Átha Í Bunaíodh an Grúpa um Caomhnú Seirbhís Dóiteáin Gaeilge nó níos fearr ar a dtugtar inniu mar an tSeirbhís Dóiteáin Iontaobhas. Baill den ghrúpa ag freastal ar seónna agus feidhmeanna lena n-fearais cuidiú ár n-oidhreacht a chaomhnú agus i gcistí ag teastáil go géar a thógáil do charthanacht.

Brabhsáil na leathanaigh an tsuímh seo a thabhairt cothrom le dáta ar bhonn leanúnach. má tá tú grianghraf nó earra ar mhaith leat a roinnt ach beidh mé sásta post sé ar do shon. Má fheiceann tú rud éigin ar an suíomh nach bhfuil ceart le do thoil eolas in